Information recording apparatus, recording media and recording method

Abstract

An information recording apparatus includes a multilayer information recording medium having a first layer containing an electro-chromic material, an electrode layer applying a voltage to the first layer to color the first layer, a second layer containing an electro-chromic material, a unit for applying the voltage to the first layer, a first optical irradiating unit for irradiating a first optical spot onto the first layer, and a second optical irradiating unit for irradiating a second optical spot onto the second layer after irradiating the first optical spot onto the first layer.

1. An information recording apparatus for recording information by irradiating light onto a multilayer information recording medium, the multilayer information recording medium having at least a first layer containing an electro-chromic material, sandwiched by electrode layers applying a voltage to said first layer to color said first layer, and a second layer containing an electro-chromic material sandwiched by electrode layers; comprising:
 means for applying the voltage to said first layer; 
 first optical irradiating means for irradiating a first optical spot onto said first layer to speed up one of a coloring operation and a de-coloring operation of said second layer; and second optical irradiating means for irradiating a second optical spot onto said second layer after irradiating said first optical spot onto said first layer. 
 
   
   
     2. An information recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein, both said first optical spot and said second optical spot correspond to substantially parallel laser beams, and wherein both said first optical irradiating means and said second optical irradiating means constitute a plurality of light sources arrayed along a substantially same straight line. 
   
   
     3. An information recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising means for positioning both said first optical spot and second optical spot on the same track or within number of 3 tracks. 
   
   
     4. An information recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising means for detecting one of a tracking error signal and a track-address signal by one of the beams by employing at least two laser beams irradiated from said plurality of light sources. 
   
   
     5. An information recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising means for performing an auto-focusing operation by irradiating said first optical spot onto said first layer to speed up one of a coloring operation and a de-coloring operation of said second layer. 
   
   
     6. An information recording method using an information recording medium having at least a first layer containing an electro-chromic material, sandwiched by electrode layers applying a voltage to said first layer to color said first layer, and a second layer containing an electro-chromic material sandwiched by electrode layers provided on the light incident side with respect to said first layer, comprising the steps of;
 applying a voltage to said electrode layers; 
 irradiating a first optical spot onto said first layer thereby increasing a speed of a coloring reaction of said second layer; and 
 irradiating said second optical spot onto said second layer to record information thereon after irradiating said first optical spot onto said first layer. 
 
   
   
     7. An information recording method using an information recording medium having at least a first layer containing an electro-chromic material sandwiched by electrode layers applying a voltage to said first layer to color said first layer, and a second layer containing an electro-chromic material sandwiched by electrode layers located on a side opposite to a light incident side with respect to said first layer, comprising the steps of:
 applying a voltage to said electrode layer; 
 irradiating a first optical spot onto said first layer thereby increasing a speed of a de-coloring reaction of said second layer; and 
 irradiating a second optical spot onto said second layer after irradiating said first optical spot onto said first layer. 
 
   
   
     8. An information recording apparatus for recording information by irradiating light onto a multilayer information recording medium, the multilayer information recording medium having at least a first layer containing an electro-chromic material, sandwiched by electrode layers applying a voltage to said first layer to color said first layer, and a second layer containing an electro-chromic material sandwiched by electrode layers; comprising:
 means for applying the voltage to said layer; 
 first optical irradiating means for irradiating a first optical spot with a wavelength sufficient for recording on said recording medium onto said first layer to speed up one of a coloring operation and a de-coloring operation of said second layer; and 
 second optical irradiating means for irradiating a second optical spot with said wavelength onto said second layer after irradiating said first optical spot onto said first layer. 
 
   
   
     9. An information recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 8  wherein, both said first optical spot and said second optical spot correspond to substantially parallel laser beams with said wavelength sufficient for recording on said recording medium, and wherein both said first optical irradiating means and said second optical irradiating means constitute a plurality of light sources arrayed along a substantially same straight line. 
   
   
     10. An information recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising means for positioning both said first optical spot and second optical spot which correspond to substantially parallel laser beams with said wavelength sufficient for recording on said recording medium on the same track or within number of 3 tracks. 
   
   
     11. An information recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising means for detecting one of a tracking error signal and a track-address signal by one of the beams by employing at least two laser beams irradiated from said plurality of light sources with said wavelength sufficient for recording on said recording medium. 
   
   
     12. An information recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising means for performing an auto-focusing operation by irradiating said first optical spot onto said first layer.